The Past is The Past Rachel and Paul
by oliviac20
Summary: Rachel Black has been running from the past till she meets Paul then she realizes love makes her face her fears; continuation of the story from my old profile oliviac2
1. Chapter 1

The rhythm of my breathing and my feet pounding into the sand fueled my pace as I ran down La Push beach. I didn't care about the sweat dripping down me or my incredibly horrible weggie; I had but the feeling as if nothing can touch me.

I ran and ran and ran until my legs went numb; I stopped collapsing into the wet sad, seeing the faint sunset that shone through the band of clouds that seemed to cover this town.

"Excuse me," I turned to see a boy well more of a man, he had jet black hair, lightly tan skin, his facial features were hard. His dark eyes set on me and they went wide as if he had an apifany.

"Yes?" I asked standing up, he stood there like a statue, his eyes wide I looked down suddenly self conscious but I refused to let him see that.

"Ok…well I am leaving," I took off jogging, I looked back to see him still standing there, I had an uneasy yet warm feeling about him.

"Since your back for good, what are you planning on doing…" my dad said as we all sat around and ate. It hurt me to tell him this was only a temporary stay, I looked around at the small kitchen and cramped table, nothing could make me stay here. I began thinking of all the memories…stop no Rachel no. "I am going to go into Forks and try my best to find a job" my dads face lit up and began going on about talking to Charlie. I just smiled and tried my best to engage in the conversation to help my dad.

"Rachel," I looked up to see Jacob, he came out and sat with me on the porch, he held out another blanket I wrapped it around my legs. "How long are you really going to be here Ray?"

I sighed gazing at the clear star filled sky, "do you think mom is up there?" Jacob asked, my heart fell, this hurt because I asked myself that question so much. "Thank you so much Ray for coming back, after Rebecca refused…" he paused, "well lets just say dad felt even more lost." He got up and kissed my forehead, "night ray," I waited till I heard the door shut to break down. To finally let go of my strength and just fall apart. Because life is never fair and I realized that as you grow up you learn that the one person that wasn't suppose to let you down…the one person that was never suppose to leave..does. I keep so much pain locked up within myself, I grasp my anger and lonliness and hold against my chest. And it simply changed me…it changed me into something I never meant to be. I gazed up at the sky, tears streaming down my face, "mom…why did you have to go…" I asked practically begged. Because I had changed…I was lonely, I was drowning with no sign of the surface.

"Rachel?" I looked over at the good'ole Charlie Swan walking towards me, he still looked the same except much more tired.

"Charlie look at you," I gave him a tight hug, he was practically a second father to me.

"How is bella?" I asked, he sighed

"Good, she's all wrapped up in school and her boyfriend you know," I let out a genuine laugh, it felt good.

"So we looked over your very impressive resume and would love it if you could work on helping us transfer from files to computers and really be the IT person around here,"

I smiled feeling accomplished, it wasn't the most amazing job but it was something to get me out of the house.

"Thank you Charlie, I will see you tomorrow, give my best to bella and the boyfriend," I said before zooming out of there.

I ran as fast as I could down the beach, I did feel better after my break down the night before. I stood staring at the bright sunset.

"Rachel…" I turned to see the same boy from a few days before, my heart began pounding. I went into defense mode.

"Are you stalking me or something?" I asked getting up in his face even though he was a good head taller than me. He was buff too, this guy had to be older than me 25 or 26. His eyes were a deep deep brown…practically black.

He gave me a smirk, "you wish," I looked taken aback, and just kept walking. This kids ego is the last thing I needed to deal with.

"Wait..Rachel I am sorry," he said lightly grabbing my arm, electricity seemed to run through my body, his touch made me feel so warm inside.

"Who are you? How do you know my name?" I spat

"I am…friends…sort of with your brother,"

I looked him up and down no way Jake would be friends with him

"You and Jake are friends?"

"Yeah…sort of, there are some days he acts like a baby and some days I act like an egotistica maniac but we deal,"

For some reason this made me laugh, Jake can be a baby.

"I'm Paul Lahote" he shook my hand and I unconsciously smiled, there was something about him that brought a strange sense of peace to me.

"I should be getting home," I said before turning away, I walked a little thinking about Paul, I suddenly stopped when I saw him standing at the edge of the parking lot.

"How did you get here so fast-"

"You honestly think I am going to let you walk home all alone…there could be scary animals!" he said

"Oh like what?" I asked…wait am I flirting? Damn I am bad at this.

"rapid dogs, deer…wolves,"

"wolves? Here? I mean I guess but-"

"Come on," he took my hand and we began walking, I looked down at our hands, it felt so nice to have his hand in mine.

"Tell me about yourself," he asked

I sighed, I should give him the…simple version, "I lived here my whole life until about four years ago, I got a scholarship to WSU and I lived there…now I am back and working down at the police station…and you?"

"I'm 16-," I stopped and looked him up and down…no way, he was four years younger than me. He looked like he had to be in his earl twenties.

"No way?"

He just smiled and nodded, he had a nice smile it made my heart beat out of my chest.

"I am trying to finish school and really find a way out of here, you are lucky you got out,"

I looked around as we entered the small town on the reservation, "I guess that's the problem with this place…it always sucks you back in,"

"Such a positive attitude," he joked nudging me. I realized I never stopped smiling, we also didn't stop talking until we got to the beginning of my drive way.

"Thank you for walking me home,"

"There is a bonfire tomorrow, I bet Jacob is coming but I was hoping you would be there.." he trailed off rubbing the back of his head, I let out a giggle.

"I will try my best to make it, first day is tomorrow,"

He nodded I let go of his hand, "goodnight Paul,"

I walked up to my door, "goodnight Rachel," I heard him call, I just smiled and walked in, for once in such a long time feeling pure happiness.


	2. Chapter 2

The first day of work was very…entertaining. I did nothing but help the older women scan and transfer all the documents into computer folders. It was five and I as ready to go home and sleep, I walked out to see Jake leaning against my car, he was in his WSU hoodie I got him for one Christmas, jeans and some very old shoes.

"Come on we are going to a bonfire,"

"Jake I am in heels…" I looked down at my white flowy blouse, black skinny jeans and nude heels.

"Its on the beach you can take them off,"

He drove my car down to La Push, "so is…uh your friend Paul going to be there?"

"Paul…my friend?" Jake looked confused

"I met him yesterday on the beach and he invited me too…"

I saw Jake's hands tighten around the steering wheel, I left the conversation there, whatever is going on between them is not really my business. I got nervous as we walked closer to the fire where people were gathered around, tiki torchs created a square around the people with a huge fire going on in the middle.

"Rachel," I looked to see Emily, my old friend I was stunned she looked so gorgeous, even with the scar on her face, which Jake told me about the bear attack after it happened in one of his letters.

"Emily, oh my goodness," I gave her a huge hug, she always saw me whenever she would come back and visit. After that all I remember was a blur of people yelling my name and giving me hugs, it was nice seeing everyone. I walked over to the food table, and I managed to take a deep breath.

"Kind of overwhelming," a voice said behind me sending warmth through my body and shivers down my spin. I turned to see Paul looking amazing, he wore a white long sleeve and jeans. He had an amazing woodsey sent, the one you breathe in when you climb the top of a mountain, the one that creates a sense of harmony between you and your troubles.

"Just a little, please save me," I begged he smiled and nodded, he took my hand and we began walking down the beach, the bonfire light slowly became swallowed by the darkness.

"Thank you Paul," I said as he laid his coat down we sat in the sand our sides touching.

"Of course, I wanted to talk to you anyway,"

"a…about what?" I asked my heart pounding in my chest, I could see the outline of his face…the outline of his lips.

He stared at me for a moment, every second felt like a century, "you are beautiful,"

My mouth fell open, "paul no-"

"Rachel…you are beautiful, not just like those girls in the magazines. You're beautiful for the way you think. You're beautiful for the sparkle in your eyes when you talk about computer programming and your friends back at school," he paused tears filled my eyes, "You're beautiful for you're ability to make others smile even when you have nothing to smile about. So no Rachel you're not beautiful for something as temporary as your looks. You're beautiful deep down in your soul,"

I was speechless, I stared as the tears slowly fell…I have never been in love but I think I have read enough books and watched enough movies and seen enough lovers being in love to know that it is something breathtaking to experience because even though falling might seem like flying for awhile. It's alright as long as there's someone at the bottom to catch you…my fear isn't falling…my fear has always been never getting the chance to. But here it is…here is the chance to fall. I got up and began running, that is what I am suppose to do right…I have always done that.

"RACHEL!" Paul was suddenly in front of me. He was way to fast, "I cant Paul,"

"You cant what Rachel?" he asked, his voice harder now, I waked backwards, I stopped when my butt hit one of the bolders at the edge where the trees meet the beach.

"I cant be with someone I cant fall for anyone…there are boundries I promised I wouldn't cross…"

"Boundries…Rachel at some point you have to stop running…you have to start making decisions about your own happiness." He paused stepping closer the only space between us was at our lips. "Boundries don't keep other people out…they fence you in. They create a false sense of fear…Life sucks Rachel and it is messy. That's how we're made. So you can waste the rest of your life drawing lines or you can live your life crossing them,"

 _Do it sweetie…take a chance_ , my mothers voice rang in my head and I did it. I threw my arms around him and planted my lips on his. Pure bliss ran through my body, everything melted around us. Than I finally began to breathe, and live. In this moment I fled to a place where goodbyes were hard to come by. It was a peaceful place that I knew I could only find whenever Paul was near.

That night Paul snuck into my room, keeping as quiet as we could, we laid wrapped in my sheets, whispering, hearing life stories and truth about each other. For once, I didn't feel like I was drowning, I found the surface…Paul is my surface.


	3. Chapter 3

"RACHEL!" I looked up from my work that I brought home the Saturday after Paul and I shared a moment. Some nights he would just call me because he was busy and other nights I'd be asleep but a small tap on the window would wake me up and he would sneak on in. I walked out of my room to see Jacob pinning Paul against the wall, dad trying his best pull them apart, Sue standing in the corner shocked.

"JACOB! PUT HIM DOWN!" Jake whirled around his face changed, it was filled with pure anger, he let Paul fall to the ground, and walked right up to me. My skin went cold and terror ran through my body.

"Tell me its not true…"

"Jacob what-"

"TELL ME YOU ARE NOT DATING THIS PIG!"

tears swelled up in my eyes as I flinched, "Jake…I'm-"

He was gone out the door before I could finish, my heart hurt I couldn't lose him too.

"JACOB! JACOB!" I yelled running after him, the cold rain pearced my face as I ran but Jake was always faster. Suddenly my body was being pulled back, shocks ran through my body, my bad hit a hard but warm chest transferring the heat to my body. I couldn't tell at this point if it was rain drops or tears running down my cheeks.

"let him go Rach," Paul whispered, I spun around to face him, for a second all I could think that he was beautiful in the rain.

"what the HELL happened Paul, you said you were friends, why did my brother call you a pig? Why did he run away? HOW CAN HE AND YOUR RUN THAT DAMN FAST!"

I was fed up with secrets that I felt this town was keeping as soon as I came back. Paul sighed, he grabbed my arm and began dragging me into the woods, now I was scared I tried my best to run the opposite was but he pulled me over his shoulder. We got deep into the woods, I barley saw the house from here, Paul gently set me down in a small clearing. I was furious now that Paul took we away from the house but I couldn't help but be curious as to what is going to happen next.

"Rachel do you remember when our parents told us the old legends about our tribe?"

I remembered back when dad would tell Jacob, Rebecca and I the old stories on Halloween or at family gatherings.

"What about them? They were just stupid stories…scary stories…what does this have to do with anything,"

Paul grabbed a fist full of his hair I could see him getting frusterated.

"Just do you remember the specific ones..they would say about the 'spirit warriors'"

I thought hard all I remembered was, "they were suppose to be like the first…I think they were called shifters…basically werewolves," I paused and looked at paul suspiciously, "I never believed him because they could never be true…" I trailed off because something in me did not believe a word I just said…something is telling me it is all true.

"Paul…what is going on, how did my brother get so big so fast? How can you run faster than me? how could you have fallen in love with me so fast? Why do I feel so connected to you?"

"The legends are true Rachel…"

My heart began beating out of my chest as it seem that Paul's skin burst into a million pieces, I blinked and suddenly a horse-like figure stood where Paul once was. The figure was coated with dark-silver fur, he had to be ten times my size, the mass bowed its head and walked slowly towards me. I froze and stayed completely still until its wet nose nudged my hand. I jumped, but calmly began to pet its soft yet stringy fur; I looked deep into black eyes and that's when I felt the warmth throughout my body.

"Paul," I whispered, "its you,"

"When did it first happen?" I asked him as we sat on a log a few hours later after I sort of digested the fact that I am dating a werewolf.

"I turned sixteen and it happened a few days later it was," he paused looking out at the trees, "the most painful experience I have ever been through,". My heart hurt for him to imagine his body completely shifting into a whole different animal.

"It happen months ago?"

he simply nodded

"So why did you fall in love with me so fast?" I asked pretending to be interested in the piece of moss in my hand.

"Its called imprinting,"

"Is that like claiming property?" I asked trying to figure out these terms, Paul let out a chuckle.

"Not exactly, imprinting is what happens when we find our…soulmates, the people we are going to love no matter what and no matter in what way, as a protector, a friend…a lover; whatever our imprint needs," he finished scooting closer to me.

"Do you have more than one?" I asked jealously springing inside of me

"Why…you jealous?" he asked a smirk on his face I just rolled my eyes.

He stared at me in all seriousiness before saying, "no there is only one…one for this lifetime and all the lifetimes,"

My heart began to pound, "I have a problem…" I paused getting up, when I am nervous I tend to pace, I needed to tell him the truth, "I, um, have a problem where I just…push people away, you know? To a point where I ignore texts and calls and I sit alone at night, wondering why I am doing it and how I can stop it…but something inside me wont let me quit it. So take it back Paul…take it all back don't fall in love with me unless your ready for a god damn fight." Tears slowly streamed down my face, I was so nervous and pacing so much I did not realize Paul standing infront of me staring down at me, he grabbed my waist steadying me infront of him. "Unless you are ready to fight the insecurities and the dark past….then leave and put me out of my misery because" I stared into his deep eyes, "in the past few weeks you have made me happier than I have been my entire life and maybe this imprinting explains it. All I know is…if you leave, I will never be the same again,"

He smiled leaning closer to me, "good thing I am never leaving," he pulled me tight to his chest, "good thing I am never ever letting you go."

He pulled my lips to his and this was the moment I had to finally let myself go, I had to let myself fall…Paul will be there to catch me.

"Forever?" I asked

"Forever."


	4. Chapter 4

Jacob didn't come home for two days and I was more worried than ever, I waited practically all day and night for him.

"What are you doing?" I heard a muffle voice

"watching tv,"

"ARE THOSE MY DORITOS!"

I ran out of my room to find Jacob standing over Paul, anger boiled in me I got between them.

"Jake this is enough yes I am dating Paul and yes I know about the werewolf thing," he stared at me wide eyed.

"You know?" we all looked over to the strange voice that came from my father who wheeled into the living room. He looked from me to Paul, I could tell this hurt him;

"Paul you told her?" my dad practically whispered Paul stood up wrapping his arms around me.

"I imprinted on her of course I told her," he replied

"I am gonna throw up," Jake growned as he walked out the door, this time I was going to go after him and not let him get away.

"JACOB BLACK YOU STOP RIGHT NOW OR I'LL….I'LL LEAVE AGAIN!" I lied but it managed to make Jacob stop and turn.

"Why him Rachel? Out of everyone why him?" he asked walking up to me, I sighed.

"Jacob…you know better than I do that I am not in control of that, I know everything I know who Paul is and I know who you are,"

"You have NO idea who Paul is…you haven't seen him explode to a point where he almost beat a kid into a coma or talk behind his pack's back…" I was taken aback I didn't want to believe any of it but Jacob would never just say these things.

"Don't hurt him please Jacob…I need both of you in my life, don't make me choose," I practically begged, he stared at me for another moment and I was picturing both scenerio's one where he walks back in the house and one where he runs from me and this family…forever.

"I will be back for dinner…we will have steaks," he said I smiled throwing my arms around his heated body.

"I love you Jake,"

"Love you too Ray."

Jacob's words about Paul still rang in my head; I had to think rationally…Jacob is my brother and my closest friend for a long time. I looked at Paul as he stared at the game that was on TV. "Paul…have you ever been in like a fight?"

"Like wrestling?" he asked before stuffing a Dorito in my mouth

"No like a fist fight…" I trailed off,

"Eh a couple times," he mumbled and continued watching the tv, he was not paying any attention to what I was saying. I stood up and turned off the TV, I stood infront of it my hands on my hips. Anger boiling in me, "Jake told me that you beat a guy to the point that he was in a coma is that true?"

"Oh Rachel…that was years ago,"

"DID YOU OR DID YOU NOT!" I cried out in frustration, he stared up at me before inching closer, as he stepped closer I caught more whiffs of his scent, my frustration had no choice but to cease to exsist in that moment.

"Do you believe I will hurt you?" he asked so firm, I stepped back, the truth was I didn't know a flash of Emily's face came to me.

"A bear didn't attack Emily did it?"

Paul shook his head, he finally pinned me up against the wall leaning down placing both his hands on either side of my head inches away. "It was Sam but that was a very long time ago…Rachel I will never hurt you" he paused taking a long heavy sigh, "I have always had a bad temper, even before the phasing this just made it worse. I saw what Sam did to Emily and I knew I had to get it under control. That way if I did than I could stop phasing and leave this place for good."

I gulped and nodded but deep down there was an uneasy feeling when it came to his temper but I had to trust him, I was crazy in love with him.

"Promise me you wont fight Jacob at all?"

Paul gave me a small smile before leaning in, "ok I wont, now you looked incredibly beautiful just now when you were "demanding" for me to pay attention to you," he paused pulling my chin up so my eyes met his, "all I want to do is kiss you,"

"That's all you want?" I flirted back causing Paul to pick me up by my hips causing me to break out in giggles as he takes me to my room.


End file.
